A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to items or loads that are desired to be suspended from elevated supported structures such as ceilings, awnings, or wall brackets and, in particular, to a method, device, and system of suspending the item or load but allow quick and easy selectable lowering and full or partial return to the uppermost suspended position. In one aspect of the invention, the item or load is a planter of the type that hang from awnings, ceilings, or wall brackets such as holding flowering or green plants, and in particular, to a method, device, or system to allow the planter to be supported from an elevated structure but be selectively lowered for watering, removal, etc. of plant(s) in the planter or the planter itself, and then full or partial raising towards or back to the original suspended position.
B. Related Art
Planters typically have some type of box or container to hold soil and plants. The planter box can be suspended from a hook or bracket on a supporting structure such as awning, eave, ceiling, or vertical wall, by rope(s) or wire(s) that is/are attached to or cradle the planter box or container.
If the planter box or container is within easy reach from the ground or floor, a person simply hooks or attaches the distal end of the planter support rope or wire to the supporting structure connection. However, the supporting structure (e.g. ceiling, eave, or bracket) is too high to reach from the ground or floor, or if it is desirable for the planter to be elevated, for example, higher than eye level to most people, a step stool or ladder many times must be used to suspend a planter. This must be repeated every time the planter is placed or removed, or for watering or other maintenance of the plant(s) or planter.
There have been attempts to allow selective lowering of a planter for watering or other purposes from an elevated position. They tend to use pulleys and rope or cable. They can be cumbersome as the rope must be carefully pulled and then cleated at a reachable position to elevate the planter, but then, uncleated or untied, the planter box grabbed or manually supported by the user, and then the rope or cable simultaneously grabbed but selectively released and maneuvered to carefully lower the planter box. Sometimes it requires two persons. It also relies on the person(s) to securely re-cleat the rope or cable to avoid the planter from falling to the ground or floor.
A need has therefore been identified in the field of art of hanging planters to allow easy, efficient raising and lowering of a planter. Similar needs exist for suspension and selective lowering and return of other items or loads.